With increased competition from the global market, electronic designers must move their products into production as quickly as possible. Recent advances in numerically controlled machining make it possible to produce a production-quality printed circuit board prototype a few hours after the design has been modeled using printed circuit board computer-aided design (CAD) software. This project provides a safe, modern, and efficient printed circuit board design and prototyping laboratory. The project replaces current board fabrication methods composed of designs using self-adhesive pads and traces, photocopying to a thermal transfer film, and exposing to developer and etchant chemicals that are potentially hazardous to students and to the environment. The modern printed circuit board CAD software and rapid prototyping engraving machine provided by this project are used to train our electronic engineering technology students in every aspect of electronic design, from conception through the prototype stage. The design process is supplemented with the simulation and automated testing capabilities already implemented in laboratories. The equipment is of sufficient quality so that it can also be used to support local industry needs through student projects that are incorporated directly into the laboratory component of electronic design and manufacturing courses. The potential impact of this project is as widespread as is the development of electronic products for end use, or for use as components in a complex design. Because of environmental and safety concerns, most manufacturers use one of the few existing board houses for production, and even prototyping of printed circuit boards. Students in electronics must be able to produce the files required by board houses, or even their own companies' prototyping and simulation facilities. This project, therefore, enables the school to foster every aspect of electronic design through to the prototyping stage; at the same time, students are able to take advantage of the available tools used for verifying their designs, namely, simulation of their designs before prototyping and testing of their designs after prototyping. This project provides reliable equipment used to reinforce electronic design and manufacturing theory through student projects that directly serve industry.
